The policy of awarding sizeable pay-offs to retiring officers, originally introduced a decade ago in a bid to alter the demographic of the new-look Police Service of Northern Ireland, officially ends next week.

Mr McCausland joined the Royal Ulster Constabulary in 1983 and served as a constable and sergeant in Belfast and Dungannon. A former staff officer to the Chief Constable, in 2002 he was appointed to the rank of Assistant Chief Constable.